Margaret Carlson: GOP Against 'Giving Dignity to Immigrants'

Appearing on Friday's Political Capital show on Bloomberg News, Bloomberg View columnist Margaret Carlson -- formerly of CNN and Time magazine -- charged that Republicans are opposed to "giving dignity to immigrants" as she recounted reluctance by Republicans to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants. Carlson:

On immigration, what's shocking is to see the immigration bill go to the House where they're not going to take it up, even though it got the 68 votes, a huge majority in the Senate, and the House Judiciary Committee is on border security and ensuring cheap labor for America. Otherwise, they don't want to consider anything having to do with giving dignity to immigrants, and that's where I think the GOP is just behind the tide.

Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, June 28, Political Capital on Bloomberg News:

HANS NICHOLS: Margaret, you just heard Ramesh say that the Republicans may, on their support for gay marriage, be a bit in the closet, to put it indelicately, what does this mean for the tide in terms of which way is it rolling? Is it rolling against Republicans? It seems like there's just been decision after decision on cultural issues that have not gone well for the party.

MARGARET CARLSON: No, we may look back on this week as the moment when, in national elections, at least, the tide really moved against Republicans for a decade until they get straight on gays -- no pun intended -- and immigration. If Ramesh had read Justice Scalia's opinion, which was, here's the most intellectual member of the court ranting about the self-aggrandizement of those who would question his morality on the court, his fellow judges. Well, you know, the decision was just so heart-rending, you know, giving dignity to a whole group of people in our country, that the defense of straight marriage had taken away. It was just such a moment.

And, you know, the voting public, by the time of the next election, this is just going to be something that, if you are against it in any way, you're just behind the times. On immigration, what's shocking is to see the immigration bill go to the House where they're not going to take it up, even though it got the 68 votes, a huge majority in the Senate, and the House Judiciary Committee is on border security and ensuring cheap labor for America. Otherwise, they don't want to consider anything having to do with giving dignity to immigrants, and that's where I think the GOP is just behind the tide.

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